Role of demographics in non-invasive testing for colorectal cancer screening: do targeted cut-off values improve detection?

BACKGROUND: Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is a yearly alternative colorectal screening modality for average risk individuals unwilling or unable to undergo invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening due to cost and accessibility. This study aims to determine whether FIT should be interpreted within the context of patient demographics and medical history. METHODS: Patients >50 years old who had a FIT followed by colonoscopy within 1 year were analyzed based on age, race, BMI, social and medical comorbidities. False positive (FP) and false negative (FN) FIT results within each patient demographic and medical history variable were determined by comparing with the gold standard of colonoscopy using Chi-square analysis. RESULTS: 1025 patients were reviewed. 21.8% of FIT results were positive. Factors which differed in positive FIT rates were age (p=0.003), smoking (p<0.001), alcohol (p=0.001), and hypertension (p<0.001). The difference in rates of FP and FN FIT outcomes among each variable underwent further sub-analysis. The FP was 66.8% and the FN rate was 12.8%. Higher FN outcomes were noted in those above 70, males and smokers, though the result was only statistically significant for males (p=0.009). Females were observed to have higher FP rates (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Females had higher FP FIT rates compared to males, indicating that sex may influence FIT outcomes and should be accounted for when interpreting FIT results. This information can be utilized to identify populations at higher risk of FP or FN FIT results to target CRC screening. Additionally, recalculating the FP and FN rates for each variable may help determine new FIT targets.

Epstein-Barr virus induced haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare condition of uncontrolled immune activation as a result of an inherited genetic defect or in response to malignancy, autoimmune disease, rheumatological disease, AIDS infection or post-transplant immunosuppression. Described here is the case of a 19-year-old Caucasian man who presented with complaints of worsening fever, new-onset jaundice and lethargy after failing treatment for suspected infectious mononucleosis. Physical examination was significant for fever and splenomegaly while laboratory results revealed transaminitis, cytopaenia, indirect hyperbilirubinaemia and elevated ferritin, raising the likelihood of both autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and HLH. He tested positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and bone marrow biopsy revealed hypercellular marrow with haemophagocytosis and no evidence of malignancy. High dose steroids were initiated with significant improvement in haemoglobin, resulting in a final diagnosis of HLH secondary to acute EBV infection. The patient was discharged on continued high-dose prednisone with planned taper and consideration of outpatient rituximab therapy for 4 weeks. High clinical suspicion and prompt evaluation were critical to early treatment and decreased morbidity.

Pancreatic Ganglioneuroma Presenting in an Octogenarian.

Pancreatic ganglioneuromas occur mostly in children and rarely in young adults, with no cases reported in adults older than 60 years. An 86-year-old-woman, with active advanced multiple myeloma, presented with epigastric pain for 2 days. Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography demonstrated a distended gallbladder, mildly dilated biliary tree, and a 13 × 8-mm hypodense mass in pancreatic body, without extrapancreatic invasion at endoscopic ultrasound. Fine-needle endoscopic ultrasound-guided core biopsy revealed characteristic histopathology of ganglioneuroma, as confirmed by immunohistochemical positivity for S100, SOX-10, and synaptophysin. This demonstrates novel finding of pancreatic ganglioneuroma occurring in the elderly. Lesion inclusion in the differential diagnosis may mandate tissue for pathologic diagnosis and complete lesion resection.